Infection prevention associate

Nemours Children’s Health is an internationally recognized children’s health system. With more than 1.7 million patient encounters annually, we provide medical care in five states through two freestanding state-of-the-art children’s hospitals — Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware and Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida. Our pediatric network includes 80 primary-urgent-and specialty care practices and more than 40 hospitalists serving 19 affiliated hospitals. We generate annual revenues of more than $1.7 billion derived from patient services, contributions from the Alfred I. DuPont Trust, as well as other income.

As one of the nation's premier pediatric health systems, we’re on a journey to discover better ways of approaching children’s health. Putting as much focus on prevention as cures and working hand in hand with the community to make every child’s world a place to thrive. It’s a journey that extends beyond our nationally recognized clinical treatment to an entire integrated spectrum of research, advocacy, education, and prevention, leading to the healthiest generations of children ever.

Inclusion and belonging guide our growth and strategy. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about, and committed to, leading efforts to provide culturally relevant care, reducing health disparities, and helping build an inclusive and supportive environment. All of our associates are expected to ensure that these philosophies are embedded in their day-to-day work with colleagues, patients and families.

To learn more about Nemours Children’s and how we go well beyond medicine, visit us at www.nemours.org

The Infection Prevention Associate role creates necessary program support by allowing routine monitoring, rounding, audit, and data-entry activities to be completed by a trained associate under Infection Preventionist oversight. This allows certified Infection Preventionists to focus their time on specialized functions that require certification, advanced judgment, and regulatory expertise, including surveillance validation, outbreak response, risk assessment, education, policy work, and survey readiness.

This role provides the necessary hours for the monitoring of the clinical portion of infection prevention and creates time for the certified Infection Preventionist to do the work necessary to run a safe program. Tasks, such as routine rounding, may be delegated to the IP Associate by the certified IP, as needed.

Position Responsibilities

• This role supports daily infection prevention operations by completing structured tasks that promote regulatory readiness, patient and associate safety, and timely identification of infection prevention concerns, allowing certified Infection Preventionists to focus on complex surveillance, risk assessment, outbreak response, education, policy development, and consultative responsibilities

Rounds and Audits:

• Conduct assigned infection prevention rounds, including infection control risk assessment/construction rounds and Environment of Care rounds, using approved checklists and escalation pathways.
• Complete hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, environmental cleaning, and isolation precaution observations in accordance with department standards
• Document audit findings consistently, communicate immediate safety concerns to the appropriate leader or Infection Preventionist, and support follow-up on identified gaps
• Audit high-level disinfection logs, quality control documentation, and related records for completion and compliance with established expectations

Education:

• Support new employee hand hygiene education and reinforce standard infection prevention practices during onboarding or unit-based instruction.
• Assist with Infection Prevention Week activities, awareness efforts, and communication materials.
• Support the formation and ongoing coordination of Infection Prevention Unit Champions by helping maintain rosters, communications, meeting materials, and follow-up items

Program Support:

• Track corrective actions related to audits, rounding, and surveillance findings to support timely closure and accountability.
• Maintain infection prevention logs, trackers, files, and documentation in an organized and accurate manner.
• Provide committee support by preparing materials, documenting follow-up items, and assisting with data or presentation needs assigned.
• Participate in structured mentoring and competency-based training to build foundational knowledge of infection prevention practices and professional expectations
• Assistance with preparation for the quarterly IPCC meetings
• Assist with scheduling Infection Prevention Meetings
• Publication of department monthly newsletter
• Program administrative support
• Additional miscellaneous duties and responsibilities, as may be assigned from time to time by employee’s supervisor

Position Requirements

• Associates degree required
• Interested in pursuing Certification in Infection Prevention by obtaining Associate Infection Prevention and Control (a-IPC) offered by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) is preferred
• Less than one year of experience in an acute care setting is required, preferably in a hospital. Completion of an Infection Prevention internship, or practicum, is preferred

Nemours Children's Health is an internationally recognized pediatric health system serving more than 1.7 million patient encounters each year. We deliver care across six states through two freestanding children’s hospitals — Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware and Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida — along with a network of more than 80 primary, urgent, and specialty care practices and more than 40 hospital partnerships. Backed by the Nemours Foundation and Alfred I. duPont Trust, our $1.7B nonprofit system is dedicated to improving children's health through clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention. Our Whole Child Health approach focuses equally on prevention and treatment, partnering with communities to help every child thrive. Inclusion and belonging guide our strategy and growth. We are committed to culturally relevant care, reducing health disparities, and fostering an environment where every associate, patient, and family feels supported and valued. Learn more at Nemours.org.